Whether it's with their shoes, clothing, or hair, people love looking to the past for style cues for the future. One of the latest styles to regain popularity is the flow haircut, a cousin of the oh-so-chic mullet that used to grace the heads of hockey players in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
This style works best with medium- to longer-length hair and can be done with straight or curly hair, although it may take some time to get the desired look if your hair is on the shorter side. While the look is decidedly carefree, it will take some dedication to get there initially, as you may need to grow your hair out for months before you get the desired length for the flow.
After you’ve grown your hair out, head to the barbershop and ask for a flow cut. Your barber should know what to do from there, but don’t be afraid to bring a photo for reference.
While the actual styling may be easy, the upkeep is a bit trickier. Those long locks will call for a lot of shampoo and conditioner to continue looking good, along with a lot of brushing afterward. When brushing, stick to brushing the hair to one side.
You’ll also need to keep it in check occasionally if you want to maintain the overall look. After a couple of months, you’ll notice that your hair in the front and sides may get a bit unruly—have your barber give the sides a short trim to help clean things up. If your hair has already gotten a bit out of control and you find yourself having a bad hair day with this cut, the good news is that the style looks great under a ball cap, which adds to the laid-back look.
The best way to get started on this style? Just give it some time. In the meantime, take a look at these 15 examples to see if the flow is worth the wait.
01
of 15
Keanu Reeves
Reeves has been rocking the flow haircut longer than most, and the style always looks great with his longer hair. He opts to layer the hair in the front to frame his face.
02
of 15
Dev Patel
The actor has shed his boyish image over the years by growing out an impressive mustache as well as a full head of flowing hair.
03
of 15
Bradley Cooper
Cooper has been seen with this hairstyle for the past few years, and pairs the carefree attitude of the style with a few days of stubble for a maximum laid-back effect.
04
of 15
Milo Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia of This Is Us has been growing his hair out into a flow for the past few years, and it keeps looking better and better.
05
of 15
Chase Stokes
Keeping with the beachy vibe of his Netflix series, the Outer Banks star has consistently opted for a grown-out shag. Though he recently snipped some extra length and died it dark, it's still a solid flow.
06
of 15
Noah Syndergaard
Forget hockey hair—the Mets pitcher is almost as well known for his flowing mane as for his fastball.
07
of 15
Kit Harrington
Harrington has worn his curly hair long for years while filming Game of Thrones and opts to keep the curls swept back behind his face rather than letting them roam untamed.
08
of 15
Jeff Bridges
Can you imagine any other hairstyle on a character named “The Dude”? Bridges has kept up these signature long locks for years now, and the style always looks dignified while maintaining that free-spirited essence.
09
of 15
Chris Hemsworth
Hemsworth had the hair of a literal god for his role as Thor in various Marvel movies, but this slightly shorter variation will suit us mere mortals.
10
of 15
Harry Styles
Even setting out on his own solo career, Styles went for the long-haired rocker look, and despite having to cut it all off for a film role or two, he’s still going strong with the look.
11
of 15
Brad Pitt
Pitt has famously sported longer hair early in his career, but his recent co-signing of the flow haircut will have younger men wishing they could look as good at half his age.
12
of 15
Timothée Chalamet
Chalamet’s thick, wavy hair admirably never looks too short or too long. He also has the youthful panache to pull off the “just rolled out of bed” look that makes this style look so unfussy.
13
of 15
Jared Leto
Leto may have gotten rid of his trademark long hair that he kept for most of the 2010s, but he has recently been seen with a new flowing style that makes you wonder if he’s about to take up surfing.
14
of 15
Orlando Bloom
Bloom helped bring the flow look back among young men with his curly locks and carefree attitude.
15
of 15
Adam Driver
While Driver’s acting roles have gotten more and more dramatic, his hair keeps getting more and more laid-back. The actor famously likes to focus solely on the acting portion of the Hollywood lifestyle and doesn’t worry himself about physical appearance too much; this makes the flow a perfect low-maintenance look.
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written by RYAN SMITH for byrdie.com